Much Ado About Muffin

Merry Muffin Mystery #4

by Victoria Hamilton

In this fresh mystery from the national bestselling author of Death of an English Muffin, baker Merry Wynter comes to the aid of an innocent woman accused of murder.
 
When muffin baker Merry Wynter sees an innocent woman accused of murder, it’s dough or die...
 
Opera singer Roma Toscano may have a crippling case of stage fright, but she certainly is stirring up drama in Autumn Vale, New York, as she prepares for an upcoming performance at Merry’s Wynter Castle. With her flamboyant style and flirtatious personality, Roma attracts fans as well as critics, including the town’s postmistress—and Merry’s bitter foe—Minnie Urqhart.
 
But Roma and Minnie’s heated rivalry goes cold after Merry discovers Minnie dead at the post office. While every clue seems to be another ingredient in the investigation of Roma, Merry thinks the case is half-baked, and she’s eager to get her mitts on the real killer...

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Romance

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 2, 2016

About the author

Victoria Hamilton is the bestselling author of several mystery series including the national bestselling Vintage Kitchen Mysteries and Merry Muffin Mysteries. She does, indeed, collect vintage kitchenware and bake muffins. She drinks tea and coffee on writing days, and wine other times. It doesn’t do to confuse days. A solitary being, she can be coaxed out of her writing cave for brownies and cat videos.

She started her writing life as Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of Regency Romances, paranormal historicals and historical mysteries, and still has a soft spot for the Regency period.

In fact her latest writing adventure is the new Regency-set historical mystery series - to be published by Midnight Ink - beginning in February 2019 with A Gentlewoman's Guide to Murder, featuring Miss Emmeline St. Germaine, a young lady who dares to defy society. She will fight for her right to live her own life, despite the dangers that presents. She has a dagger, and she's not afraid to use it.

If you Google ‘Victoria Hamilton’, you will find listed first a famous actress who starred as the Queen Mother in the Crown and as Charlotte Brontë in ‘In Search of the Brontës’. That’s not the Victoria who writes mysteries.

No, really, it’s not!

You can find her buried in a good book, (entombed in a good tome?) or online at:
Website: http://www.VictoriaHamiltonMysteries.com (Sign up for her annoyingly infrequent newsletter for all the latest!)
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorVictor...
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MysteryVictoria

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autumn Vale in upstate New York is the place [not] to be. I say that only because it seems you'll be murdered if you visit too often. In Much Ado About Muffin, the fourth book in the Merry Muffin Mystery series by Victoria Hamilton, Minnie, the post office supervisor, is killed! We surely didn't like her in the first few books because she was mean to Merry. 'She deserved to die' some might say, but there was the briefest moment in the beginning of this book where she was somewhat kind. Rest assured, then she was back at the nastiness, so we don't feel all that guilty, right?

Hamilton's created a wonderful town full of lovable characters. I am getting more and more connected to this cast of kooky inhabitants. Some are just plain old weird. Others are insufferable. Many are adorable. But no one will be spared, I suspect, except perhaps Merry. When she's away visiting her late husband's brother, the town is running amok. That is, its citizens are. Merry gets a marriage proposal while in Europe. Will she take it? Upon her return, Roma, a diva with a waning voice, is trying to recover in Merry's castle simply until she can go back onstage in NYC. Unfortunately, Roma's pissed off a lot of people, including Minnie. Did she then kill Minnie in revenge? Or is it one of her boarders who don't seem to like Minnie other than she's agreed to leave them her house if she dies. Then she dies! Ah, who would of guessed?

Hamilton's writing continues to please. Her style and tone are always great. This is a wonderful series and I will keep reading the books. I've held back the full 5 stars because I think she's capable of more. Merry has lots of connections about town. Build up the families. Add in some additional friends. Give her a stronger job. Make her truly ready to takeover the town. Then I'll be so enamored with this series, I will re-read it many times!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much Ado About Muffin is the 4th book in the Merry Muffin Mystery Series by Victoria Hamilton. In this book Merry has gone to Spain to make peace with her mother-in-law who is on her deathbed. Merry takes her time in Spain enjoying being pampered and taken care of until her late husband’s brother proposes to her. This proposal makes Merry really look at her life and she quickly decides she needs to go home to Wynter Castle and resume her life there. Once home Merry finds a lot has changed in her two month absence. One morning she and a friend are going shopping but first they decide to stop at the post office to see if Merry’s luggage has arrived from Spain yet. Finding the front door locked the two friends decide to go around back to see if they can Minnie the postmaster. What they find is a dead Minnie. Will Merry be able to adjust to all the changes? Can Merry help solve the murder before something else bad happens? Is the murderer someone that is close to Merry or someone new to Autumn Vale?

I really enjoy this series. What I liked about this book is there Merry has decided to put her past behind her, not to forget about her late husband but to finally stop mourning the loss of a husband and allow herself to live and love again. Merry has to smooth a lot of hurt feelings because she didn’t keep in touch with her friends during her two month absence. She finds out that she has a lot of people who love and care for her and consider her family. This book really promotes that family comes in all forms and you should always try to keep family close to you even when you’re not. It also shows that family and true friends will always forgive you when you have hurt them and will always have your back when you need them.

This is a great cozy mystery (no bad language, graphic violence or sex) with a touch of romance. Great storyline and strong realistic characters. There is also a bonus of some recipes for any Muffin Lovers out there. I would definitely recommend not only this book but the series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

so enjoyed it. This wonderful series is written by author Victoria Hamilton and has quickly become a favorite series of mine. Main character Merry has so many qualities that I admire and it has been such a pleasure to read about her journey of self discovery and the friendships she has made along the way. Merry inherited the Wynter Castle in Autumn Vale New York in book one and in Much Ado About Muffin we the struggle continues as to how she will keep and maintain this amazing gift. The theme of this series is about resiliency, family and the people you choose to surround yourself with. How they help you, how they hurt you and how you learn to grow from each experience. I really enjoy this series because I feel like the struggle is real for the main character Merry and that as she deals with each situation in the series she grows leaps and bounds. From book one to book four she goes through metamorphosis in a away that feels natural and very gritty and real. Along the way as she tries to find herself she also happens to find her self tangled up in mysteries. Unexpected friendships and fantastically developed characters await you in this series and some truly delightful recipes too! Much Ado About Muffin is a great read and is one of my most favorite books so far this summer. I think the cover is also outstanding! So much to see, I feel like each time I look at it I find something else that completely fits the story!

[Kacey/Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading from this author and will read more of her stories. I enjoyed this book very much. I'm a bit hesitate to read story when it has food in the title. This author has changed my view. This may have had muffin in the title and muffins throughout the story but it did not take away from the story line whatsoever. The characters were strong and likable. The mystery stayed a mystery until the end which make for a enjoyable read!

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

La serie va crescendo, ma il fatto che in questo libro si raggiunge una fine per quanto riguarda la storia sentimentale della protagonista (che era rimasta in sospeso nei libri precedenti) mi fa temere che anche questa sia una delle serie destinata alla chiusura con questo volume. Spero di sbagliarmi perché iniziavo ad affezionarmi a tutti i personaggi...

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merry Wynter owns Wynter Castle in upstate New York. She's been in Spain for a couple of months because her late husband's mother wanted to make peace with her (another story). When she returns home she finds things changed. Her beau Virgil meets her at the airport and is surly toward her; her roommate Pish has taken in a temperamental opera star - Roma Toscano - that Merry dislikes, her friend Emerald has been taken in by a cult-like personality and is pushing Merry away, and the rest of her friends are acting like she's been gone a year.

But when she's out with Virgil's mother Gogi and they discover the body of the local postmistress, who has been stabbed with a letter opener that Merry recognizes as being owned by Roma, rumors begin to fly. Everyone thinks the diva committed the crime, but Merry isn't so sure and takes it upon herself to find the killer and set things about her to rights...

Well, this book was a bit of a disappointment. Merry went to Spain for a couple of months to make peace with her late husband's mother, and enjoy a vacation of sorts, but when she returns home everyone treats her like the enemy. I guess in the town of Autumn Vale no one is expected to take vacations. After all, why would you want to go anywhere else? You're a traitor if you leave the city! I think these people need a reality check.

Also, when she gets back to her castle she finds that her live-in friend Pish hasn't been taking care of her cat. He tells her that Becket went for longer and longer walks and just never showed back up. This is supposed to be her "dearest friend." I don't know about you, but my dearest friend would not allow my cats to disappear. If Pish couldn't handle it, he should have told her before she left so she could have made other arrangements. (Honestly, with not much training, Becket could become an exclusive indoor cat. I've adopted several feral cats and they're all indoor cats now). Also, before anyone gets the wrong idea, the coyotes of New York are not the same coyotes that live around my neck of the woods. Western and Eastern are different in that those in upstate are hybrids - yet another reason to keep Becket indoors.

Then Pish just invites Roma to stay at the castle without asking Merry first. Plus, Roma is a pig. She leaves things lying around everywhere, and our spineless Merry doesn't tell her to clean up the mess or find a hotel. She doesn't even tell Pish that he needs to tell Roma to clean up. As a matter of fact, in this book it seemed as if Merry was the boarder and Pish owned the castle, because he did whatever he wanted and Roma walked around dramatically, and they practically took over the place. What kind of friend is he? He ignores her cat and invites someone to stay rent free who trashes the place, leaving her to do everything, including cooking for the ungrateful witch. I'd send her out to eat every single meal. I guess Merry had two divas to deal with.

Then there's the problem of Emerald being taken in by a cult-like person named Crystal who is living off of her and making Em go back to work in a dive bar, even disciplining Em's daughter Lizzie, and she allows her to do this. Does anyone say anything? No! Not until Merry comes back and decides to investigate and discover things aren't adding up.

Plus, this is the place to go if you just want to leech off people - Roma is leeching off of Merry, Crystal is leeching off of Emerald, and even when Minnie (the postmistress) dies, no one goes to her house and tells the leeches there that they have to leave! I'm sorry, but they should have been told to get out instead of acting like squatters.

I didn't understand why she had to go around town asking everyone to forgive her for taking a vacation. Jealous, maybe? Who does that? 'Gee, I'm sorry I went on a nice vacation. Next time I'll just go camping in them there woods, okay?'

In the end, the mystery was just okay; although it made sense, by that time I was already irritated by the people of this town and the fact that Pish isn't a very good friend after all.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first in this series, then missed a few. If I had read the in-between ones I might have liked this better, but I'd forgotten who the townsfolk were and I'm baffled as to why a man called Pish in a smoking jacket lives in the castle owned by Merry our heroine.
Merry has been away summering in Spain with rich friends. Apparently you are not allowed to do this, because when she comes home she goes around apologising to literally everyone in town. I thought they would probably all do exactly the same if they'd been invited.
In Merry's absence, nobody has missed the muffins she was baking and selling, and her ginger cat has been neglected, pretty much abandoned. (Throw that Pish out.) Some strange newcomers are in town including a would-be diva staying rent free at the castle (throw Pish out!) and caterwauling at all hours, and a creepy cultist woman taking money for an obvious con job. Nobody seems to have the brains they were born with to check up on her. When a death occurs it's a violent one, but when an attempt is made to harm Merry it's a run-of-the-mill type where someone tries to run her car off the road. Clues are nicely dropped, though I didn't see why total strangers would tell Merry their business.
I do believe it's good to warn against lifestyle gurus and cults. And spongers of all sorts.
The muffins are not nearly so exciting as in the first book, just bran, apple and oats or choc and walnut which I personally think would be spoiled by the addition of two bananas, since I don't like bananas.
If you've followed the series you'll probably like this book better, and I was pleased by the romantic outcome. That said, the book is suitable for mature teens or adults. If I get the books I've missed I might well come back to this one.
I was sent an ARC through Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Pearl · Rating 4 out of 5]

*FTC: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

In Victoria Hamilton’s latest Merry Muffin mystery, we find our protagonist Merry returning from an extended trip in Spain, one that resulted in a reconciled relationship with her former mother-in-law on said-woman’s deathbed and a half-hearted marriage proposal from her former brother-in-law. It’s time for Merry to get back to reality—back to Autumn Vale to reconnect with her friends and loved ones, especially a certain good-looking cop. After getting settled in, Merry is quickly pulled back into the loop and discovers that all is not well in Autumn Vale. Her good friend Pish has installed Roma Toscano (an overly dramatic opera singer) in Wynter Castle. Minnie Urquhart, the postmistress, is stirring up trouble, and Emerald has fallen victim to a potential scam artist. When Minnie winds up dead, it’s up to Merry to seek justice on her behalf, wherever the road leads.

Having read the first two books in the series, I was already familiar with many of the characters coming into this book. There’s been a decent amount of plot progression and character development over the course of the series. I was excited to see Merry finally move forward with Virgil as well as her decision to stay in Autumn Vale, which felt like a natural decision (rather than a contrived reason to continue a series). Merry’s muffin business doesn’t occupy as much space, which though understandable, made me a little sad. Here’s to another book or three in the series! I hope that it continues.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tasty delight, and a delectable treat!

Author Victoria Hamilton once again proves that muffin . . . I mean, nothing can keep her from writing a delicious mystery.

MUCH ADO ABOUT MUFFIN is the perfect addition to Ms. Hamilton’s Merry Muffin Mystery series. Not only does it bring new drama and mystery to the series, it also touches on other ongoing aspects.

Readers are allowed to get a good way into the story before the victim is found. I personally like it that way. I think it brings so much more to a tale. But just because the body is found later doesn’t mean the beginning is slow. Quite the opposite. There is so much happening in the first few chapters, I couldn’t believe how fast I was reading through it. I was simply engrossed. And once the body was discovered, well, there was no putting down this fabulous read for me. I devoured it!

I’ll merrily follow Victoria Hamilton and her Merry Muffin Mysteries as long as she writes them.

Make sure to check out the back of the book for some yummy muffin recipes!

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another series that I have not read before. It has mystery and romance. The characters are well developed. The writing is outstandings, it places you in Autumn Vale. Merry Wynter has returned to Wynter's castle, after spending a few months aboard making peace with her Mother-In-Law. Merry finds an unwelcome guest at her home. The postmistress is founded murder at the post office as it a federal office, the FBI takes the lead in the case. Shutting out Merry's boyfriend, Virgil Grace, the sheriff. There is evidence that Merry's guest is guilty.There are several twists and turns that will hold your attention. The ending is a surprise. I recommend the book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Melina]

This is the fourth installment in the Merry Muffin Mystery Series and the second of the series that I have read. I will admit I enjoyed the first book in the series much more than this one. This one started out slowly for me and I was a little lost because there are a lot of characters and I had a hard time keeping them all straight. The plot was very good though, and there were a lot of suspects to keep a person guessing as to who the murderer was. The story picked up in the middle and I caught on and wasn’t as lost. This one kept me guessing and there were many twists and turns.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for my honest review.

This is the second book in this series that I have read. I have not read the first two. I enjoyed this one very much! I wasn't so lost as to who the characters were as I was in the previous book. I still need to go back and read the first two books so I can get to know some of the characters even better.

In this book, Merry is trying to figure out who was trying to frame Roma for the murder of one of the town's least favorite people. And then someone tries to run Merry off the road. There are a few suspects and there are a few different things going on that confuse who she thinks did it.

And then there is the ending! Nice!

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much Ado About Muffin is the 4th book in the Merry Muffin series.

I have not read any of the other books but this one and I have to admit I was a bit lost at times with the characters but with that being said this book was excellent. There are so many twists and characters to keep you guessing up until the end which is what I enjoy.

It was nice to see Merry's interactions with her friends, including Lizzie and the librarian, Hannah. At first they gave her the cold shoulder after being gone a few months to Spain. But is now right in the world.

I will have to read the other books in the series as this piqued my interest.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review**

This is the first book I have read in this series, and it was definitely interesting. I was expecting it to be more like a lot of cozies that I have read, focusing on surface issues, but this one dives deeper into the characters, focusing on the relationships and personalities. At times, this was fascinating, but at other times I felt like I needed more investigating and less analysis. The mystery itself was very well written, but the way it all wrapped up felt slightly too convenient.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/mu...


Much Ado About Muffin
Merry Muffin Mystery, Book #4
By Victoria Hamilton
ISBN 9780425282588
Author’s website: www.victoriahamiltonmysteries.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

When muffin baker Merry Wynter sees an innocent woman accused of murder, it’s dough or die…

Opera singer Roma Toscano may have a crippling case of stage fright, but she certainly is stirring up drama in Autumn Vale, New York, as she prepares for an upcoming performance at Merry’s Wynter Castle. With her flamboyant style and flirtatious personality, Roma attracts fans as well as critics, including the town’s postmistress—and Merry’s bitter foe—Minnie Urqhart.

But Roma and Minnie’s heated rivalry goes cold after Merry discovers Minnie dead at the post office. While every clue seems to be another ingredient in the investigation of Roma, Merry thinks the case is half-baked, and she’s eager to get her mitts on the real killer…

Review:

A hothouse flower – or pampered lady – Merry isn’t! She left her home at Wynter Castle, in Autumn Vale, NY several weeks ago. Her former mother-in-law in Malaga was in her final days and she wanted to make peace with Merry before she died. Merry remained after the death of the older woman, staying with her late husband’s brother, Tony. Merry couldn’t live in such luxury or continue to stay with Tony, especially after he suggested that they marry. She could only marry – if ever doing so again – for love, as the first time.

What a difference 2 ½ months away can make! Virgil, the sheriff and the man Merry hoped to have a relationship with, was angry, thinking she was coming back to close up the castle and return to luxury land. Her best friend, Shiloh, had been seen acting strangely, was unhappy and losing weight but insists everything is fine. Another friend, Emerald, was getting far too close to Crystal Rouse and the ‘Consciousness Calling’ group, a kind of New Age money pit and her daughter was ready to Lizzie was ready to leave home.

Worse, her dear friend Pish, who lived at the castle and made sure everything ran smoothly while she was gone, had brought his friend Roma to the castle to say for a while. The woman was a huge flirt with men and rude to women, but the diva developed some sort of terrible stage fright and couldn’t sing. Yes, she had an amazing voice, and Pish was trying to help her get it back. Roma and Merry weren’t friends, no matter how hard Merry tried. Then Merry saw that her late uncle’s cat Becket that she had come to love, had begun to mourn her absence as he had his former owner. When Merry first moved in, the cat was a fleeting orange ghost that stayed mostly in the wooded areas, and he had begun to do so again. There were so many relationships that Merry needed to repair!

Thankfully, some friends remained the same. Gogi, Virgil’s mother, and Merry were going to run errands in a nearby town when they stopped at the post office to see whether the rest of Merry’s luggage had arrived. The front door wasn’t open yet, so they went around back and found the door was ajar. Entering, they called for Minnie but she didn’t answer. She couldn’t – Merry found her quite dead, stabbed with an antique letter opener. One suspect came to the mind of the locals – Roma, who had threatened Minnie with a similar letter opener recently at a tea that had been held at the castle. Roma may not be a friend of Merry’s, but she simply wasn’t a murderer. Yet, while Merry tries to find the real bad guy/ bad gal, the evidence might be adding up to prove her wrong. Especially when someone tries to run Merry off the road, and Roma had borrowed Pish’s car that and brought it back with a brand new dent on the front.

Wow, the plethora of tasks Merry had! I very much admire this author who successfully writes many situations into a mystery and does it so well that the reader not only remembers everyone, but can be captivated by each one! Victoria Hamilton not only executes the perfect plot with enough twists and turns to keep each situation active, but also gives us an assortment of suspects. I do enjoy a cozy mystery such as this where I must slow down and savor the descriptions of the surroundings, situations and people. There was enough humor to offset how serious the crimes were, making this a deliciously delightful read. The ending was absolutely satisfactory! As were the resolutions to the murder and the attacks on Merry. Speaking of delicious, there are two wonderful muffin recipes at the end which look easy enough for even we cooking-challenged folks like me to succeed with!

Each person is described with care, depending on their role, and most are extremely likable. My favorites are Merry and her friends Hannah and Shiloh. Hannah is a humble young woman and an amazing researcher. Being the librarian clearly has honed her skills, as she could find almost anything about anyone. Shiloh and Hannah have overcome tremendous challenges to be who they are today; I think those details are necessary to appreciate those characters more. Gogi is a delightful woman, well-suited to her role at the assisted-care facility. And Virgil? Time will tell about the handsome sheriff and our heroine, and I’m looking forward to finding out!

I highly recommend Much Ado about Muffin to cozy mystery lovers of any age who enjoy a peaceful, beautiful setting, an eclectic group of people, and with challenging mysteries – a place that is hard to leave!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have read Victoria Hamilton’s Vintage Kitchen Mystery series and the Teapot Collector Mysteries (under her pseudonym, Amanda Cooper) somehow I haven’t gotten around to trying the books in her Merry Muffin Mystery series. True, I have a couple of the books in that series loaded on my Kindle, but… just not enough time in the day to read everything I plan on reading… Fortunately, that changed when I picked up MUCH ADO ABOUT MUFFIN, the fourth book in the Merry Muffin Mysteries! I am so glad I did make time and will go back and catch up with the preceding three books!

Since I started with the fourth book on the series, I felt like I had some catching up to do to figure out the characters and how they related to the protagonist, Merry Wynter. There was backstory from previous books that would have helped, but by about one third of the way into the book, the author filled in what I needed to know and made the book more enjoyable. In addition to a tightly written mystery with several suspects that kept me guessing, Victoria Hamilton weaves the theme of home into the story. Merry’s heart isn’t sure where home is when the book starts out, but she finally realizes Autumn Vale is where she belongs. The love for family, friends, and family history pulls her in and allows her to create a home where she wants to stay and allow her heart to mend.

Merry loves to cook and bake for her family, friends, and also provides muffins for several of Autumn Vale’s establishments. The author includes a couple of muffin recipes at the back of the book…both sound absolutely delicious and perfect for upcoming fall weather.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and views are my own.

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry Wynter is so glad to be back in Autumn Vale. Being away made her realize that this is where she wants to be. Unfortunately not everyone is happy with her decision. Minnie Urquhart, the post mistress, dislikes Merry with a vengeance. Now Minnie's dead. She was murdered in the Post Office. Who's the culprit? Minnie was a disagreeable woman who made enemies with many of the town's people. Now with the FBI investigating, everyone is a suspect. With Sheriff Virgil Grace on the sidelines, Merry will have to use all her skills to get answers. Merry is an engaging woman with a quick mind and a caring nature. She wants to solve the crime. I liked her. She is there to help and support her friends. Why she even has a temperamental opera singer staying at the Castle just to make he best friend, Pish, happy. Virgil and Merry have wonderful chemistry. I enjoyed seeing them together. Their banter is flirtatious and their attraction sexy. Victoria Hamilton has written a suspenseful mystery filled with devious suspects, hidden motives and unexpected twists. This author kept me on the edge of my seat. So many people disliked Minnie that I had no idea who killed her. I loved the setting. Upstate New York in the Fall is perfect. There are so many people with motives that I didn't know until the end who killed Minnie and why. I was so worried that Emerald would be hurt by the outcome. She deserves better. Much Ado About Muffin was a satisfying cozy. I loved the characters, the romance and the suspenseful mystery. I'm never disappointed when I read Victoria Hamilton.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry Wynter didn't realize how much she had come to consider Wynter Castle, in the town of Autumn Vale, home until she was called to Spain to be in attendance at her mother-in-law's side during her final days. And so, three weeks after the funeral, she realizes two months have already passed and it's time to go home. But once back in Autumn Vale, things are different. People that she had slowly developed a friendship with, such as Shilo and Emerald, now seemed to be giving her the cold shoulder. Her friend Pish has committed himself to helping opera singer, Roma Toscano, conquer her stage fright...Roma...a former hated acquaintance of Merry. Even her cat, Beckett, seems to feel abandoned by her and has returned to the forest. And finally, there is the ambivalence from Virgil. Can she regain the trust of all her friends or is it too late? And then, before she has time to even start this process, she discovers the dead body of the town's postmistress, Minnie Urquhart. With no end of suspects that Minnie had angered, can Merry nose out the killer? This is a delightful series with some interesting main characters. I love Merry's interactions with her friends, including Lizzie and the librarian, Hannah, as well as the residents of Golden Oaks. The plot has some twists in to keep the reader guessing to the end. I look forward to the next book in this series. Disclosure: I received an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exciting new mystery in the Merry Muffin series! It was good to see Merry, Pish, Virg, and others - This series continues to get better with each novel.
After an extended trip out of the country to see her late husband's mother one last time and make peace with her, Merry comes home to much change. It has been 2 1/2 months, and it is almost like returning to a different town! Even the castle has changed - Pish has brought a friend into the castle who definitely isn't a friend to Merry. Roma is a diva's diva, but has of late suffered from terrible fear of being in front of her audience, losing her beautiful voice when she tries to sing. She has so many friends to catch up with, relationships to repair!
Merry and Gogi go to check for Merry's expected delivery at the post office, to find the postal clerk murdered, with one of Roma's letter openers. While Merry doesn't really enjoy Roma's antics, she won't see this woman be falsely accused.
This is a very detailed novel, one that I am blessed to slow down and savor. There are a number of viable suspects, and a number of strange things going on with Merry's friends. Even her cat is out of sorts from her absence. The plot twists keep the action lively and fresh, and I admit the author has stumped me again...Highly recommend this new cozy mystery with very tasty-looking muffin recipes at the end.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed my trip back to Wynter Castle and Autumn Vale, I was invested right away in catching up with some great characters. This is the fourth book in the series and I have read them all, although Merry is just returning from two months in Europe herself, I think it might be a little hard to follow some of the things going on in this book if you have not read the previous ones. Merry finds that Pish, her great friend and mentor, has installed a temperamental diva of an opera singer in her castle as his newest salvation project. Roma and the postmistress at the Autumn Vale post office have gotten into it while she was gone and when Minnie, the postmistress turns up dead, Merry and her house guest get dragged into the mystery. Because this murder happened at the post office the FBI is called in so Sheriff Virgil Grace cannot take as active a role as he would like but protecting Merry and those that she loves is still high on his list. While trying to piece together what happened (in spite of the fact that Merry also had no love for Minnie, and wants her "castle guest" Roma out) she feels she must get involved as other friends have ties to people she feels are suspects. This mystery had lots of twists and turns and was fun until the very end!!!!! I received this book as an ARC.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and loved the first book of this series when it came out and then these books kind of fell off my radar, I can tell you they are front and center now. After I get done writing this review, I am going to pop over to the the Merry Muffin Mystery page and buy the 2nd and the 3rd books. I'm anxious to fill in the blanks between the first book and this one.

It took me a little while to get some of the new characters straight, I did have to flip back and forth a few times to make sure I had the right person in my mind when reading. This all ironed itself out and I was quickly engrossed in a great story.

What really struck me is just how much Merry truly seems to care about her relationships. It was refreshing to read. This book kept me reading into the night. There are lots of great suspects and the stakes are high.

If you are new to these books, you might want to start reading from the first one, Bran New Death, but if you are patient with this book you will quickly become immersed in the town of Autumn Vale and the life of Merry Wynter. There are also two yummy looking recipes at the end of the book. I am looking forward to trying them when my kitchen cools down and I can stand to use my oven again.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I loved the book so much that I purchased a copy as a gift for a friend.

[Cyndy Bailes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Much Ado About Muffin by Victoria Hamilton

I was excited to receive an advance copy of Much Ado About Muffin from the author in exchange for an honest review. Although it is the fourth in the Merry Muffin series, it was stand alone and the first one that I had read.
The main character is Merry Wynter who lives in a small town outside Rochester in upstate New York. Merry inherited a castle from an uncle which she has yet to decide if she will keep or sell. I did find it took me a couple of chapters to get really engrossed in the book because of all the different characters, but after that I was hooked. I found the book had just the right amount of character development and depth for a cozy mystery, and I was kept guessing about the solution to the murder until the very end.
I really enjoyed this book. The plot threads are well developed. There are even several recipes included at the end. This was a fun read and I look forward to reading the earlier books in the series while waiting for the fifth one to be published.

[Vicki Highley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Much Ado About Muffin by Victoria Hamilton for a honest review and fair review and after I finished it I had to get the first books in the series. You can read this book as a stand alone, but if you are like me and enjoy a good book with unique characters this series is for you and you will have to read the previous books because you want to know more about Autumn Vale, New York and Merry Wynter, her friends and the residents of Autumn Vale. Merry moves to Autumn Vale after the death of an uncle who lives her his castle and in this book she finds out how much the town and her friends and the residents of Autumn Vale mean to her. During the process there is a murder and she has to solve it to clear an old acquaintance of a murder charge. Her relationship with Roma Toscano is a very old and complicated one. Merry has to rebuild some of her new friendships at he beginning and also a few old ones. I loved the ways Merry handles the healing of some her relationships and decisions she makes for her future.

[Carol Lee]

I had really enjoyed this author's Vintage Kitchen series so I decided to give her Merry Muffin Mysteries a try to and have enjoyed them just as much. This is the fourth book in the series and it is still as good as the first ones. I like how her Merry seem to come fall into the mystery and stumble across the murders and feel like she has to do what she can to solve them even though sometimes those around her feel like she needs to stay out of trouble. I like how Merry wants to see the right person put away for the crime and goes about investigating in her own way to find out who that is. I also love the recopies at the end of the book and can just see Merry making some of them and wanting to give them a try myself.
I received a copy of the book from the author to read and review.

[Cyndy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merry Wynter returns from a 2 month vacation from her life to find the small town of Autumn Vale sort of fell apart in her absence. She sets out on an apology tour to seek forgiveness from her friends for being gone so long.

There are a lot of different stories playing out in this book. It is the first I've read in this series, so I don't know if that is normal, but it felt like there were too many things going on for any one part of the story to be fully developed. For a cozy mystery it came across as a bit pretentious as well.

For fans of this series, I would recommend this book. For anyone else, I'd probably start at the beginning of the series as there were a lot of references to previous mysteries in the town.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much Ado About Muffin by Victoria Hamilton is fourth book in the Merry Muffin Mysteries series. This is the first book I have read in this series. Although an interesting story it was not what I would consider a cozy mystery. I found that the author was constantly re-introducing characters from previous books in the series, making sure the reader knew who each person was as well as which previous story they were involved in. A great deal of time was spent concentrating on the relationships and personalities. I wanted to see more investigating of the murder rather than all of the examination of various people. I enjoyed reading this book despite the slow start to the story.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Amary Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry Wynter returned home from Spain, after her ex-mother-in-law's funeral to a maelstrom. It seemed all her friends were upset about her extended stay, even her cat.
New additions to the town of Autumn Vale had split the town into factions and tempers rose.
The post mistress had gotten into many scrapes with others and now was dead. Was it Roma, the diva...or Crystal, the Consciousness Calling guru, Minnie's new boyfriends, or her young tenants.
The F.B.I. Is involved because it was on postal property, as is Sheriff Virgil Grace, her boyfriend, but Wynter and her talented friends sift through the information and false leads to arrive at the sad truth. Read this richly woven tale, you will not be disappointed.
I received an ARC copy of this book for my honest opinion.

[A.K. Frailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this whole series. The characters are diverse, interesting, and true to life. The mystery keeps me guessing and the plot works well. The romance comes off as honest and uplifting. Great work.

[Henrietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the last few pages. :)

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun entry in this series. Twisty plot and characters that continue to grow, and grow on yuou.